THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK THE GRADUATE CENTER WORKPLACE VIOLENCE PREVENTION PROGRAM In accordance with the University s commitment to the prevention of workplace violence, The Graduate Center, which includes the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, the School of Professional Studies and Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies, adopts the following as its Workplace Violence Prevention Program (the Program ): 1. Purpose The University s Workplace Violence Prevention Program provides information to the College community about preventing and responding to incidents of workplace violence at the College s worksites and facilities and seeks to develop programs which will prevent or reduce the likelihood of threats or acts of workplace violence. The Program seeks to ensure that any incident, complaint, or report of workplace violence is taken seriously and dealt with appropriately. The Program implements the Workplace Violence Prevention Policy adopted by the Board of Trustees on February 28, 2011. As set forth therein, workplace violence is defined as any physical assault or acts of aggressive behavior occurring where an employee performs any work related duty in the course of his or her employment, including but not limited to: i. An attempt or threat, whether verbal or physical, to inflict physical injury upon an employee; ii. Any intentional display of force that would give an employee reason to fear or expect bodily harm; iii. Intentional and wrongful physical contact with an employee without his or her consent that entails some injury; and iv. Stalking an employee in a manner that may cause the employee to fear for his or her physical safety and health when such stalking has arisen through and in the course of employment. 2. Scope All College employees are required to comply with the Program. In addition, since students and visitors to the College are required to conduct themselves in conformity with existing law, employees who observe or experience students or visitors engaging in violent or threatening behavior should follow the procedures in the Program for reporting such behavior. 3. Workplace Violence Advisory Team ( WVAT ) a. The WVAT reports directly to the College President and consists of members designated by the President. b. The WVAT Chair, selected by the President, sets the times and agendas for meetings and establishes sub-committees, as necessary, to fulfill the WVAT responsibilities set forth herein and in sections 4, 7 and 12.
c. The Chair and members of the WVAT and their contact information are listed in Appendix I. d. The WVAT will coordinate the Workplace Violence Prevention training at the Colleges. 4. Risk Assessment and Evaluation Process a. On an annual basis, the WVAT will: i. Examine the prior year s relevant records that concern workplace violence incidents to identify patterns in the type and cause of injuries. ii. Assess relevant policies, work practices, and work procedures that may impact the Workplace Violence Prevention Program. iii. Review survey responses received from employees of the College. Survey forms are available to employees on the College s website and in hard-copy at the College s Office of Public Safety and Office of Human Resources. Completed survey forms are to be forwarded to the Director of Public Safety, as the physical site evaluation team leader. b. The WVAT will conduct a physical site evaluation of the College s workplace to determine the presence of factors that may place employees at risk of workplace violence. Each authorized employee representative organization with employees at the College will be given advance notice, in writing, from the Vice President for Administration of the date(s) and time(s) of the site visit(s). Each authorized employee organization may designate a representative to participate in the site visit(s) by notifying the WVAT Chair in writing of the designated representative. In addition to the authorized employee representative(s), an employee may also request to participate directly in the site visit for his/her work area by contacting the WVAT Chair. The authorized employee representative(s) will be provided with incident reports (without names) for the previous year. The authorized employee representative(s) may submit to the WVAT Chair any comments regarding situations in the workplace that pose a threat of workplace violence. c. Following the physical site evaluation, the WVAT will prepare a report of the findings, including a list of the high risk factors identified during the physical site evaluation and recommendations on appropriate work practice control measures to address identified risk factors. The report will be submitted to the President for appropriate action. Copies of the report will be made available, upon request, to employee(s), their authorized representatives(s), and the New York State Department of Labor. d. Physical site evaluation/risk assessment evaluations will be conducted after an incident of workplace violence, as needed and as identified by the Department of Labor, or if it is determined that a significant trend of workplace violence is identified. 5. High Risk Locations/Risk Factors
On 3/23/11 and again on 10/31/11, the Director of Security & Public Safety and Asst. Vice President for Faculty & Staff Relations met with union representatives to discuss the Graduate Center s workplace violence risk. An eleven year records review indicated that violent crime is rare at the Graduate Center and the few incidents of violent street crime have not impacted the Graduate Center community. Workplace violence incidents are also rare. However, there are confrontation incidents that do not meet the criminal or workplace violence standard but have the potential to escalate to violence. The most recent review of confrontation reports show a sharp decline from last year. The Graduate Center s workplace tasks, hazards, conditions, operations and other situations which might place workers at risk of occupational assault incidents were also reviewed. Some riskier tasks/conditions such as exchanging money, working alone or working late at night exist but the risk has been mitigated by policies, procedures, internal controls, the deployment of public safety personnel and use of electronic security systems. At risk positions that present a greater risk due to the nature of their jobs were identified and include public safety personnel, student affairs and human resources personnel involved in discipline, psychological counseling personnel in the Wellness Center and Child Care Center personnel. Student Services offices (Bursar, Registrar, Financial Aid and Admissions), points of confrontation at many undergraduate institutions, especially during high stress registration periods, have not been an issue at the Graduate Center. Again, the risks to these positions have been mitigated by policies, procedures, internal controls, the deployment of public safety personnel and use of electronic security systems. In addition, a walkthrough of the building was conducted paying special attention to areas that had increased risks due to their remote location or the nature of the operations such as Human Resources, Bursar s Office, Student Affairs, Student Services, Wellness Center/Psychological Counseling, Child Care Center, Library and various areas of public assembly. Off-campus spaces belonging to the School of Professional Studies, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism and Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies were also visited. There was a concern with offices located in the remote corners of the building and while remote locations can presents a potential risk, the Graduate Center mitigates the risk with building patrols and nearby emergency assistance alarms. It should also be noted that security incident reports do not show a higher incident rate at these locations. The Graduate Center utilizes electronic security systems throughout the building to enhance its safety posture. Policies, procedures, internal controls and security patrols mitigate risks in areas without electronic security. Being an open and public institution in the center of a city of this size presents certain risks. With this perspective, the Graduate Center has integrated a spectrum of workplace hazard controls and prevention measures to mitigate this risk of workplace violence. It should be noted that some specific information related to the types and locations of electronic security are confidential and are not listed to prevent exploitation by those with bad intent.
24 hour/day, 365 days/year security coverage made up of Campus Peace Officers with arrest powers, Campus Security Assistants and Contract Security Officers. Regular building patrols check offices, bathrooms, stairwells, etc. in an effort to deter criminal behavior. Directed security coverage during periods of higher risk. Adequate lighting in and around the building. Regular building patrols check the operational condition of alarms, lighting, exits, doors, locks, etc. Repairs are made by Facilities Services personnel in a timely manner. The use of closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance, emergency assistance alarms in corridors, public assembly spaces and bathrooms and panic buttons in certain high risk areas. A planned capital project to expand CCTV coverage throughout the building. Access control policy that includes the locking of all 1 st floor stairwell doors and requires all those entering to present a Graduate Center/CUNY ID card or another form of picture identification. Regular reporting and follow-up investigations of crimes and confrontations.. Regular review of NYPD crime reports for the area surrounding the Graduate Center along with monthly meetings with the NYPD s Midtown South Precinct to be apprised of area crime trends. Maintaining a file of security alerts (along with photographs when available), instructing officers to deny access to individuals who have caused problems within The Graduate Center or have harassed members of The Graduate Center community outside of the building. Enforcement of Orders of Protection submitted by members of the GC community to the Office of Security & Public Safety and educating victims of domestic violence on prevention measures and counseling services. Workplace violence, domestic violence and crime prevention is covered during new employee orientation. Establishment of a Workplace Violence Advisory Team, a Behavioral Intervention Team and a Risk Management Committee.
On 1/22/14, the Director of Security & Public Safety, the Assistant Vice President for Faculty & Staff Relations and the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) Associate Dean for Administration & Finance met with the Professional Staff Congress union representative to discuss the workplace violence risk at SPS s new facility located at 119 West 31 st Street. A tour of the building revealed a well-lit facility protected by an electronic access control and closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance systems. CUNY Public Safety officers screen visitors at the building s entrance, regularly patrol the building s floors and employ workplace hazard controls and prevention measures similar to those used at the Graduate Center. A review of work processes, Public Safety incident reports and NYPD area crime statistics indicate a minimal risk of workplace violence at this site. 6. Employee Information and Training All employees must participate in training on the risks of workplace violence in their workplace at the time of initial employment and at least annually thereafter. The employee training and information program includes information regarding how to locate the Policy and Program as well as survey forms. The College provides training to its employees. The training program addresses the following essential topics: a. An overview and definition of workplace violence; b. The College s commitment to providing a safe workplace; c. Instructions regarding how to obtain a copy of the written Policy and Program; d. A listing of significant identified risk factors; e. Techniques on how to recognize and avoid potentially violent situations, including deescalation techniques; f. How employees can protect themselves and how employees can suggest improvements to the Program; g. The importance of reporting incidents and how to report such incidents; h. Where employees can seek assistance during a dangerous situation; and i. Resources, such as trauma counseling, that may be available to employees after an incident has occurred. Additional training will be conducted as necessary and as determined by the needs of the College. 7. Reporting Process/Procedures to Report Incidents of Workplace Violence In order to maintain a safe working environment, incidents of workplace violence must be reported promptly to a supervisor and/or the Office of Public Safety. The phone number of the College s Office of Public Safety is 212-817-7777. Members of the College community are also encouraged to report other behavior they believe may lead to potential workplace violence. After an incident occurs or upon receipt of a complaint, an investigation will be conducted by the Office of Public Safety. Complaints involving the Office of Public Safety will be investigated by the Office of Human Resources.
a. The College will use a form maintained by the University s Office of Public Safety to record incidents of workplace violence. The College Office of Public Safety will maintain all records of initial reports and the results of any investigative reports relating to Workplace Violence at the College. As set forth therein, investigative reports must include: i. Workplace location where the incident occurred; ii. Time of day/shift when the incident occurred; iii. A detailed description of the incident, including events leading up to the incident and how the incident ended; iv. Names and job titles of employees involved; v. Name or other identifier of other individual(s) involved; vi. Nature and extent of injuries arising from the incident; and vii. Names of witnesses. b. The WVAT reviews the investigation results of incidents and complaints, determines whether there is a violation of the Policy and provides a report to the President. c. The WVAT, with the participation of the authorized employee representative(s), conducts a review of the Campus Workplace Violence Incidents Report at least annually to identify trends in the types of incidents in the workplace and reviews the effectiveness of the mitigating actions taken. 8. Confidentiality of Certain Information Nothing in this Program requires the disclosure to any person or entity, other than to the Commissioner of the Department of Labor as directed by the New York State Labor Law, of information otherwise kept confidential for security reasons, such as information that if disclosed may: i. Interfere with law enforcement investigations or judicial proceedings; ii. Deprive a person of the right to a fair trial or impartial adjudication; iii. Identify a confidential source or disclose confidential information relating to a criminal investigation; iv. Reveal criminal investigative techniques or procedures, except routine techniques and procedures; or v. Endanger the life or safety of any person. 9. Report of Violations of the Workplace Violence Prevention Policy and Program Any employee or authorized employee representative who believes that the College s Workplace Violence Prevention Program is in violation of CUNY s Workplace Violence Prevention Policy, New York State Department of Labor Regulation Section 800.6 and New York State Labor Law Section 27(b), should bring their concerns to the attention of the proper authorities.
Events involving the threat of imminent danger should be immediately brought to the attention of the College s Department of Public Safety. Events relating to concerns of other types of reportable incidents should be reported as detailed in Paragraph 7, above, and brought to the attention of the University s Senior University Executive Director of Human Resources Strategic Planning, 535 East 80th Street, New York, NY 10075. If a matter has been brought to the proper College authority and the College has had a reasonable opportunity to correct the activity, policy or practice, the matter has not been resolved, and an employee or authorized employee representative still believes that serious violation of the program remains, the employee or authorized employee representative may request an inspection by notifying the Commissioner of Labor of the alleged violation. This notice to the Commissioner must be in writing and shall set forth with reasonable particularity the grounds for the notice and shall be signed by the employee or authorized employee representative in compliance with New York State Labor Law Section 27(b) and its implementing Regulations. 10. Retaliation No employee is subject to criticism, reprisal, retaliation or disciplinary action by the College for good faith reporting pursuant to the Program. Individuals who make false and malicious complaints of workplace violence, as opposed to complaints that, even if erroneous, are made in good faith, may be subject to disciplinary or other appropriate action. 11. Recordkeeping All recordkeeping and reporting shall be made in compliance with the applicable law and regulation (currently New York Labor Law Sections 27-a and 27-b and 12 NYCRR Part 800) and the Policy and Program. 12. Program Effectiveness and Evaluation/Post-Incident Response At least annually or after serious incidents, the WVAT evaluates the effectiveness of the Workplace Violence Prevention Program, including post-incident responses and evaluation processes. The review focuses on incident trends and the effectiveness of the control measures taken by the College. The review also assesses whether the reporting and recordkeeping systems are effective in collecting relevant information.
Appendix 1 Workplace Violence Advisory Team Name Title Phone Number Ms. Dorothy Benson JSM Institute of Worker Education 212-827-0200 Dorothy.Benson@cuny.edu Mr. Michael Byers Ms. Pamela Drayton Mr. John Flaherty Director of Facilities and Building Operations Assistant Director of Administration/ Public Safety (SOJ) Executive Director of Security and Public Safety 212-817-7732 mbyers@gc.cuny.edu 646-758-7834 Pamela.Drayton@journalism.cuny.edu 212-817-7761 JFlaherty@gc.cuny.edu Ms. Carolyn Geisel Macaulay Honors College 212-729-2943 carolyn.geisel@mhc.cuny.edu Ms. Lynette Gibson Assistant Program Officer - Theater 212-817-8879 lgibson@gc.cuny.edu Ms. Yosette Jones Johnson Assistant Vice President for Faculty and Staff Relations 212-817-7700 Yjones-johnson@gc.cuny.edu Ms. Narka A. Flocker Office of the Registrar 212-817-7438 rflocker@gc.cuny.edu Dr. Mary Clare Lennon Professor - Doctoral Program in Sociology 212-817-8779 MLennon@gc.cuny.edu Ms. Tanya Domi Communications & Marketing 212-817-7283 tdomi@gc.cuny.edu Dr. Martin Gitterman Ombuds Office 212-817-7191 MGitterman@gc.cuny.edu Ms. Abigail Morrison Academic Operations Director 212-817-7273 abigail.morrison@mail.cuny.edu Ms. Edith Rivera Chief Diversity Officer 212-817-7410 Erivera@gc.cuny.edu Dr. David Chapin Professor of Psychology 212-817-8722 DChapin@gc.cuny.edu Mr. Matthew Schoengood Vice President for Student Affairs 212-817-7700 mschoengood@gc.cuny.edu Ms. Hilry Fisher Office of Research and Sponsored Programs 212-817-7523 hfisher@gc.cuny.edu Ms. Amy Martin DSC, Co-Chair for Student Affairs 212-817-7881 amyxu.alum@gmail.com